Two Questions......

Flat Earth Society <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Very silly but here goes......

[1] GPS - Will a system purchased in the UK work in Switzerland [?]

My Etrex Vista, purchased in America, works over here.

Quoted message said:

[2] My son, nearly 10, managed Ben Nevis on 31st May 2004, will
Helvellyn via striding edge be within his capability [?]

I haven't done Nevis, but there is a step on Striding Edge where he may
need some help. I was glad of a leader who told us where to put our
feet.

Quoted message said:

Not a technologist but figure GPS could be useful [?]

We used a Wainwright guide, and aimed for the gap in the wall on
Birkhouse(?) Moor, after that if you wander off the path it's a few
hundred feet down, and a bugger to climb back up!
--
Gordon

"Flat Earth Society" <[email hidden]> schreef in bericht
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Quoted message said:

Very silly but here goes......

[1] GPS - Will a system purchased in the UK work in Switzerland [?]

[2] My son, nearly 10, managed Ben Nevis on 31st May 2004, will
Helvellyn via striding edge be within his capability [?]

Not a technologist but figure GPS could be useful [?]

1. Normally no problem. If you buy a second hand GPS which has it's origin
in America it could still have a american basemap. Make sure you can change
that.

2.Fysically that shouldn't be a problem. Ben Nevis is a strenuous walk(1300m
ascend) and Helvellyn via Striding Edge is a walk with some scrambling (800m
ascend, if you drive up to Helvellyn YH even less). Mentally it's different.
Not everybody likes to walk on a ridge and look down into the valley. If you
have some rocky outcrops near your home(nothing serious, just short pieces)
let him practise there. Little pieces of rough stone walls would also do the
job.
For his (and your) first time pick a nice dry day with no wind. I enjoyed my
first time on Striding Edge very much.

Theo

In message <[email hidden]>, Flat Earth
Society <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Very silly but here goes......

[1] GPS - Will a system purchased in the UK work in Switzerland [?]

[2] My son, nearly 10, managed Ben Nevis on 31st May 2004, will
Helvellyn via striding edge be within his capability [?]

I think any fit 10 year old with a positive outlook would enjoy Striding
Edge. It's the parents who should worry. Just be on hand for the
already mentioned tricky step. As I recall (from a considerable time
ago) it can be avoided by taking a route slightly off the top. Also
note, the final ascent off the edge and up to the summit is steep and
screey and should be treated with respect. Though it is less exciting,
I think it is more dangerous and certainly unpleasant. However, it
isn't very long and don't be put off by this comment.

Quoted message said:

Not a technologist but figure GPS could be useful [?]

It may well help to keep interest up in a 10 year old who is flagging.
I'm not sure if it has any other use :-).

More seriously, on this route it is certainly not necessary. The route
will be packed with other people and is quite clear on the ground.

If completed successfully with the party panting for more scrambling the
descent via Swirral Edge makes a good continuation. Again, the path on
to the edge is probably the hardest part. The really energetic can then
throw in Catsycam, but you may be happier to descend towards Red Tarn
before this as the round trip will already be around 10 miles. Using
the FRAN formula* (she is now denying that she invented it) this is the
upper limit for a 10 year old.

*The FRAN formula states that the upper limit of miles for a young
person is equal to his/her age. I can verify that it works for 4 to 8
year olds, but have yet to test it on older children. Next year I shall
work on 9 year olds and only in 2006 shall I be dealing with the 10 year
olds :-(. My experience is that height can be thrown in on top of the
number of miles.

--
Michael Farthing
Aardvark Ltd

"theo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

"Flat Earth Society" <[email hidden]> schreef in bericht
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Quoted message said:

Very silly but here goes......

[1] GPS - Will a system purchased in the UK work in Switzerland [?]

[2] My son, nearly 10, managed Ben Nevis on 31st May 2004, will
Helvellyn via striding edge be within his capability [?]

Not a technologist but figure GPS could be useful [?]

Can't answer [1]. As another poster has said, Striding Edge won't be a
problem physically. There are only two problems with Striding Edge

1. You don't like heights and lose it on the top. I have been straight up in
winter from Red Tarn using crampons etc., to the bit just before the final
ascent to retutn back along the edge. One of the party managed the (far more
dangerous in reality) climb up on the slippy stuff fine, then completely
lost his nerve on the top and we had to bunk out back down to the tarn (he
was reduced to hands and knees). Try some exposure somewhere first.

2. It's not nice if the wind is whipping across it fast and the clouds are
coming down, so watch the weather. If you can manage the transport, it's
quite a good walk to come up from Thirlmere and down into Patterdale or
Glenridding. That way, if it gets dodgy on top weather wise you then have a
choice of Striding/Swirral edges. I only mention this as it happened to me
in March! The clouds were down, the wind was high and one of the party was
not happy with heights so we used Swirral Edge.

--
Bob Mannix
(anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not)

Paul Rudin said:

Quoted message said:

[1] GPS - Will a system purchased in the UK work in Switzerland [?]

Yes, although you should be aware that maps in different countries use
different grid systems and it's handy to have your location given in
the grid system of the maps you're using - so that's one thing to
check before making a purchase.

All GPS units have a wide range of datums and grids built in, so there
should be one to match. You can even define your own grid in most of
them.

The main thing to watch out for is the basemap if you buy a mapping GPS.
All units sold in Europe have a European basemap, American units have an
American basemap. If you buy a non-mapping GPS it doesn't matter, it
will work all over the world. As a general rule you don't need a
mapping GPS for walking. Most maps are only road maps.

Paul
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk
http://www.wildwales.fsnet.co.uk
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/userphotos?id=118749

"Flat Earth Society" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Very silly but here goes......

[1] GPS - Will a system purchased in the UK work in Switzerland [?].

In general most GPSs use the American GPS satellite constelation and will work
anywhere in the world so long as they have a clear view of the skyl

My Garmin Geko 201 has just been working very well whilst I was walking in
Switzerland - so long as I was clear of any trees.

The Swiss have a grid system very similar to the British one. Since even my 9
year old Garmin 45 can use the Swiss system, I would guess that all Garmin's do.

For walking, I found that each local tourist office would publish its own
1:25,000 map for walkers which show the Swiss Grid system. The maps are based
on the Swiss National/military maps but have the paths/walking routes
highlighted. The maps cost SF 15-25
The maps correlate well with the yellow signposts for walkers.

The National/military maps can be bought as well, but are not as clear as
Ordanance Survey maps. Further they will show paths which may be quite dangerous
(IMHO) and are not highlighted on the walking maps.

Typically the tourist office maps are only available in the LOCAL tourist office
(and maybe a local bookshop) They tend to be for the areas surrounding the
tourist office and may or may not overlap with the map for the adjacent office.

The tourist offices also sometimes publish what I would call a ski map type
guide to the paths. (i.e a drawn picture of the mountains on which the paths are
marked. Not to scale!)

Kummerly+ Frey also publish 1:50,000 maps. See http://www.swisstravelcenter.ch/

Quoted message said:

[2] My son, nearly 10, managed Ben Nevis on 31st May 2004, will
Helvellyn via striding edge be within his capability [?]

Not a technologist but figure GPS could be useful [?]

If you take a mobile phone as well as a GPS then there is a good chance that you
can summon help and say exactly where you are.

I bought my Geko 210 from www.gpsw.co.uk. I use it with rechargeable 800mAh
batteries. If the unit is kept on all the time a set of two batteries last 5-6
hours. I always carried a spare set.

Michael Chare

[email hidden] said...

Quoted message said:

Using
the FRAN formula* (she is now denying that she invented it)

No, no, I'm quite happy to take the credit for the formula
because I think it's a very good guide. I just don't remember
inventing it so I didn't want to steal someone else's thunder.
I'll happily claim it as my own though - it's excellent :-)
--
Fran
If you need my email address please ask.

Paul Saunders wrote on Wed, 14 Jul 2004 16:55:32 +0100....

Quoted message said:

Paul Rudin said:

Quoted message said:

[1] GPS - Will a system purchased in the UK work in Switzerland [?]

Yes, although you should be aware that maps in different countries use
different grid systems and it's handy to have your location given in
the grid system of the maps you're using - so that's one thing to
check before making a purchase.

All GPS units have a wide range of datums and grids built in, so there
should be one to match. You can even define your own grid in most of
them.

However, you need to find out which one it is. A colleague at work
came to me a few years ago, because he knows I can read German. He
wanted me to read the small print on a Swiss map he'd just bought for
a ski mountaineering trip (the Haute Route IIRC), and to tell him
which grid and datum it used so he could set the GPS he'd borrowed.
The snag was that the map's small print didn't give this information.

--
Tim Jackson
[email hidden]
(Change '.invalid' to '.co.uk' to reply direct)
Absurd patents: visit http://www.patent.freeserve.co.uk

For what it's worth, I'm scared of heights, and managed Striding Edge, with
a little trepidation. It was a hot still day, but physically not too
demanding. Just took it nice and slow, while the fitter/braver/less
vertigo-esque simply jogged acorss the very top. Strong winds may have put
me off.

Worth the effort certainly.

Simon Mc

"theo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

"Flat Earth Society" <[email hidden]> schreef in bericht
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Very silly but here goes......

[1] GPS - Will a system purchased in the UK work in Switzerland [?]

[2] My son, nearly 10, managed Ben Nevis on 31st May 2004, will
Helvellyn via striding edge be within his capability [?]

Not a technologist but figure GPS could be useful [?]

1. Normally no problem. If you buy a second hand GPS which has it's origin
in America it could still have a american basemap. Make sure you can

change

Quoted message said:

that.

2.Fysically that shouldn't be a problem. Ben Nevis is a strenuous

walk(1300m

Quoted message said:

ascend) and Helvellyn via Striding Edge is a walk with some scrambling

(800m

Quoted message said:

ascend, if you drive up to Helvellyn YH even less). Mentally it's

different.

Quoted message said:

Not everybody likes to walk on a ridge and look down into the valley. If

you

Quoted message said:

have some rocky outcrops near your home(nothing serious, just short

pieces)

Quoted message said:

let him practise there. Little pieces of rough stone walls would also do

the

Quoted message said:

job.
For his (and your) first time pick a nice dry day with no wind. I enjoyed

my

Quoted message said:

first time on Striding Edge very much.

Theo

"Bob Mannix" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

2. It's not nice if the wind is whipping across it fast and the clouds are
coming down, so watch the weather. If you can manage the transport, it's
quite a good walk to come up from Thirlmere and down into Patterdale or
Glenridding. That way, if it gets dodgy on top weather wise you then have

a

Quoted message said:

choice of Striding/Swirral edges. I only mention this as it happened to me
in March! The clouds were down, the wind was high and one of the party was
not happy with heights so we used Swirral Edge.

I prefer ridge walks when i'm in the cloud - can't see the drop!

"Flat Earth Society" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Very silly but here goes......

[1] GPS - Will a system purchased in the UK work in Switzerland [?]

[2] My son, nearly 10, managed Ben Nevis on 31st May 2004, will
Helvellyn via striding edge be within his capability [?]

Get him to wear braces in case you need to lower him down the corner groove
at the end of the ridge ;-).

No, should be fine.

Quoted message said:

Not a technologist but figure GPS could be useful [?]

What, to stop you going the wrong way on the ridge?

Roy.